The present invention relates generally to the art of welding-type power supplies. More specifically, it relates to welding-type power supplies having a network, such as a controller area network (CAN).
Welding power supplies or systems are available for a wide variety of processes, and with a wide variety of sophistication. Welding-type power supply or system, as used herein, includes power supplies or systems that provide welding, cutting or heating power, and may include a controller, switches, etc. Traditionally, a good weld required an experienced welder, not only to properly execute the weld, but to properly select operating parameters (such as output voltage, current, power, pulse width, wire feed speed, etc.)
Now, robots are available that execute the weld. Also, pre-determined welding programs that set operating parameters are available. These may be input to a welding-type system by a user using a user-interface such as a keypad, touch screen, control knobs, etc. Also, programs can be stored as application software and transferred to the welding-type system (where they are usually stored in non-volatile memory that is part of a controller). Application software, as used herein, includes software and data that controls a welding system before, during or after a weld, such as setting operating parameters, setpoints, etc.
It may be desirable to change application data because of improvements in the program, or improvements in the data, or because the welding-type system is used for a new or different application. Also, it may be desirable to change application software for multiple components of a welding-type system, such as the power supply, wire feeder, and robot interface.
The process of updating application software can be tediousxe2x80x94either entering the information through a serial interface board-by-board, or replacing a component such as an eprom (by removing the eprom and reprogramming it). Both of these procedures require removing the housing, which can be difficult.
Accordingly, a method and apparatus for updating software in a welding-type system that is easy, fast and economical. Additionally, the method and apparatus would preferably be useful over a network, so multiple components could be updated.
According to a first aspect of the invention a welding-type power supply includes a source of welding-type power and at least one welding system peripheral. Each includes a network module that has boot loader software. A network is connected to the two network modules, and the network has connection for updates that is capable of receiving software updates.
In various embodiments the network connection for updating is on a user interface module, disposed in a housing with the source of welding-type power, disposed outside the housing, disposed on a pendant, on a network controller module, and/or includes an RS232 connection.
The network modules include application software in another alternative.
The peripheral is a wire feeder, a robot interface, or any other peripheral in various embodiments.
A second peripheral, such as a robot interface, is included, and has a network module, connected to the network, with boot loader software, in another embodiment.
According to a second aspect of the invention a method of providing welding-type power includes connecting a source of welding-type power to a network and controlling the connection by executing software that includes boot loader software. Also, at least one welding system peripheral is connected to the network, and the connection to the network is controlled by executing software that includes boot loader software. Software updates are received on the network through a network connection.
Application software that controls the source and the peripheral is also executed in other embodiments.
According to a third aspect of the invention a method of updating software used to control a welding-type system includes executing boot loader software and determining if a software update over a network is available. The boot loader software continues and a software update is executed if a software update is available, and then the execution of the boot loader software is ended after the software update has been completed. If no software update is available, then the boot loader software completes it program and is terminated.
The method is performed when the system is powered up in one embodiment.
The software update is an application software update in another embodiment.
In other embodiments, before ending the execution of the boot loader software, an error check and/or keyword check is performed, and/or application software is executed after the boot loader finishes.
The software update is obtained from a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, or over the internet in various embodiments.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a software subroutine (a subset of software capable of controlling a welding-type power supply and a welding system peripheral) is capable of transmission through a network connection to overwrite at least a portion of the software which controls the welding-type power supply and the welding system peripheral upon prompting.
Other principal features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings, the detailed description and the appended claims.